Ditch the Wedding Shot Lists

A Wedding Photo Shot List is basically a list of all the things you'd like your photographer to take photos of during your wedding day. I'm sure you've seen them downloadable from The Knot, WeddingWire, or other blog sites. They usually have every single thing you could ever think of listed out. Things like Bride's bouquet, the bride walking down the aisle, first kiss, cake cutting, first dance, etc. Shot lists are great if your photographer has never photographed a wedding before, but I GENUINELY hope this is not the case. Overall, you can ditch the long lists!

If your photographer's creativity is dictated by a list you've downloaded online, you're going to miss so many beautiful candid moments. Rather than being present in the moment with you, we're going to have our face down in a list most of the day. We can't be alert and observant when we are stressed in just making sure we get all of those shots you listed out. You're going to miss all the authenticity and creativity that you would have gotten if the list wasn't there.

What your photographer WILL need a list of:

1) Your family combinations. I highly suggest you make this list out yourself and don't download one from the internet. Your photographer will want the list of family photos you'd like taken. See my blog post on family photos for more information. For example, 1) Bride and Groom +Bride's Parents 2) Bride and Groom + Bride's Parents + Bride's Siblings 3) Bride and Groom + Bride's Grandparents on mother's side (use names if you'd like). These sorts of combinations will make sure your photographer gets all the family photos you want without wasting time, insulting anyone if there are divorces, making anyone sad if grandparents are no longer with us, etc. Your photographer should also tell you roughly how many combinations you can get through within your allotted time. For me, that's usually around 15 photos in a 30 minutes time period. Many lists you download from the internet have 35+ very broad combinations on them. Not only will you not have time for them all but most won't pertain to you or your family dynamic.

2) Anything that may be specific to you or out of the norm. For example if you're going to wear a broach that was your grandmothers, if your mom made your wedding bouquet or the bouquet wrap was made from her dress, perhaps your uncle built the bar at your reception, if you had the groom write a note under your shoes (big pinteresty thing haha), essentially any small things that I may either miss or not photograph as thoroughly had I not known about it.